Nursing has evolved considerably over the years, becoming more complicated, challenging, and demanding. Therefore, healthcare professionals constantly need to expand their educational qualifications to ensure affordable patient care services. Nurses are an important part of healthcare, required to provide clinical and non-clinical services. There is a need for trained educators, leaders, managers in healthcare. But dispensing these roles is only possible if you have the right skills and educational foundation. Hence, no one can refute the importance of higher education for nurses. The higher the nurse’s qualification, the more is their expertise and clinical knowledge. Therefore, hospitals prefer nurses who have an advanced degree up their sleeves.
The demanding nature of patient care encourages nurses to enroll in higher qualifications. Therefore, the nursing fraternity shows immense interest in enrolling in graduate degrees such as a doctoral degree in nursing. The doctoral degree is often referred to as the terminal degree too. Two types of doctoral degrees in nursing include DNP (Doctorate in Nursing Practice) and PhD. in nursing.
DNP is a more practice-oriented degree and can take you to the pinnacle of your career. DNP graduates typically have nursing responsibilities not limited to bedside care. These professionals can often transcend hospital boundaries and contribute to policymaking. Therefore, one can confidently say you get to choose from vast DNP careers once you graduate. After you receive a doctorate in nursing, several career options are available to you. But let’s first know the path you can take to earn a doctorate.
How to receive a Doctorate in Nursing Practice?
There are various routes to earn your DNP degree. Assuming that you already are an RN, you must have a BSN to get into DNP Program. There are BSN to DNP programs where you bypass the MSN degree. But the traditional path has been to earn a BSN, an MSN, and then enroll in a DNP program. However, the fast-track program suits the professionals well. These programs land you into a realistic environment in less time. Besides, the courses and syllabus in these degrees are more streamlined too. But whatever path you choose, DNP can land you in careers where you can conduct groundbreaking research, educate the next generation of professionals and serve patients through research-based practices. The career pathways for DNP nurses include:
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Healthcare executives
Healthcare is a sector meant to provide the best and most affordable care to the public. There is no doubt about that, but you cannot deny that healthcare is a big business too! So much money goes into healthcare that allows it to run effectively. In 2020, US healthcare spending was more than $4 trillion. So, it is one of the most expensive sectors, one that is essential for the survival of society. Therefore healthcare needs leaders with business acumen that could run the whole infrastructure like a well-oiled machine.
The job of healthcare executives is to ensure the smooth running of the system. You will strategize, communicate and coordinate activities. As a DNP graduate, this is a perfect job to distance yourself from clinical roles. The BLS projects a growth of 32% in the employment of healthcare managers or executives from 2020 to 2030. Therefore, it is one of the fastest-growing occupations in healthcare. Your job is to improve the quality of care, ensure adherence to the standards of care, develop goals, and ensure their fulfillment. You can make an average income of $104,280 per year, or $50.13 per hour, by working as a healthcare executive or manager.
Advanced Practice Registered Nurse
Next is the job of an APRN, which is an umbrella term, but you can choose various socialization depending on your preference. For instance, you can choose to become an anesthetic nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, and family care nurse practitioner. Your job is to provide care, but you are responsible for a specific population based on your specialization. For instance, nurse midwives can only work with gynecologists. Similarly, an anesthetic nurse is responsible for administering anesthesia to the patients before a procedure. As an APRN, you can work in various healthcare facilities such as hospitals, clinics, private practices, and schools.
The field’s BLS forecast indicates a growth of 45% from 2020 to 2030. The employment growth is partly due to the increased aging population, more preventive care, and a shortage of qualified physicians. You can work as an APRN with a master’s degree. But DNP nurses have considerably more job opportunities. An advanced nurse practitioner can earn an average yearly salary of $117,670 per year. However, the actual figure depends on your specialization, work setting, and employer.
Nursing educator
The nursing shortage is a looming crisis in healthcare, and it will get worse in the coming years. More experienced nurses are leaving the profession. So, there is a shortage of nurse mentors and faculty in the nursing schools, not just the new graduates. Nurse educators are needed to prepare the new generation of nurses, making them ready to assume the roles and reduce the burden on the existing nurses. Nurses with a DNP are qualified to work as nurse educators and mentors.
Hospitals also need highly qualified nurses to ease the adjustment process for the new nurses. Nurse educators can assume clinical and non-clinical teaching roles in hospitals, nursing colleges, and training institutes. Depending on your college’s curriculum, you will polish students’ research skills, enhance theoretical knowledge, and improve their practical nursing acumen. If you are zealous about imparting knowledge and sharing your learning, being a nursing educator is the best career for you. According to May 2020 estimates, your average yearly income as a nurse educator is $86,372.
Clinical researcher
A DNP degree also makes you qualified to work as a clinical researcher. The field is ideal for individuals who find it interesting to add to the field’s existing knowledge. You will be generating new evidence, supporting or differing with the existing studies, and make this field richer. The latest research can help nurses associated with clinical roles improve patient outcomes. You will be a critical link between academia and the actual practitioners. The salary of a clinical research nurse is $72815, so it can easily be considered one of the lucrative careers in healthcare.
Conclusion
Having higher education in nursing can open doors to success. You can earn a better salary and have more career opportunities. Even if you work in the same position, your earning potential improves considerably by earning a terminal degree. Other benefits include a better reputation and self-image and more decision-making roles.
